S/PV.7045 Security Council

At this meeting the Security Council will hear briefings by the following leads or co-leads of the Security Council mission to Africa: His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Loulichki, His Excellency Sir Mark Lyall Grant, His Excellency Mr. Eugène-Richard Gasana and His Excellency Mr. Jeffrey DeLaurentis. I now give the floor to Mr. Loulichki.

I have the honour to brief the Council on the Security Council’s mission to investigate the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Great Lakes region between 4 and 6 October, headed jointly by the Deputy Permanent Representative of France, Mr. Alexis Lamek, and myself. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mr. Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and his whole team for their welcome, their assistance and support throughout that stage of the trip. The Security Council’s entire visit to the area occurred, as the Council is aware, in a context that particularly favours the possibility of lasting peace in the region, thanks to the signing by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbours in Addis Ababa, under the auspices of four international and regional organizations, of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. The Council’s message was focused on the implementation of the Framework Agreement and resolution 2098 (2013), and on a general urging to all to work to ensure the success of the Kampala negotiations. On the way to the Democratic Republic of the Congo the Council made a stop in Brussels, where we met with representatives of the Political and Security Committee of the European Union to discuss the latest developments in the Great Lakes region, and the political process under way and security sector reform in particular. In Kinshasa the Council mission held talks with all the Democratic Republic of the Congo senior officials  — the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Ministers of Defence, the Interior and Justice, as well as the Presidents of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Chairs of the independent national electoral commission and of the follow- up mechanism to the Framework Agreement. We also attended the closing ceremony of the national consultations, which have resulted in more than 200 recommendations. On 6 October we arrived in Goma, where we visited the site of the recent clashes in the hills around Kibati between MONUSCO, the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23), after which we met with the Governor of the province of North Kivu and representatives of civil society. Finally, the Council mission concluded this stage by visiting the Mugonga 3 displaced persons camp, where we met with representatives of the camp associations. During the meetings with the Congolese authorities, the Council acknowledged the importance of effectively implementing the reforms that have begun in various areas: the restoration of State authority, democratization, decentralization and national reconciliation, the security sector and in economic governance. Regarding the recommendations resulting from the national consultations, the Council urged that they be speedily translated into concrete action. Security sector reform is particularly crucial, since it will enable the Congolese authorities to gradually assume responsibility for security and the defence of territorial integrity. That was an important message from the Council mission to the Congolese authorities. During a meeting specifically devoted to that topic with the Ministers of Defence, Interior and Justice, the Council encouraged them to step up their efforts. The coordination role that resolution 2098 (2013) granted MONUSCO also makes it possible for it to support the Congolese authorities in that area. More generally, the issue of the restoration of State authority was also raised in meetings with various officials. The Council welcomes the fact that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General has decided to emphasize the eastern region, redeploying a part of the units to Goma to enforce the rule of law. In a meeting in Kinshasa with the country team, the Council also recalled the mandate agreed on in resolution 2098 (2013) concerning the transfer of certain tasks from MONUSCO to the country team. MONUSCO should refocus on its fundamental tasks. The country coordinator and the Special Representative have committed to coming up with a road map to be presented to the Council in December. A number of speakers felt that the restoration of a lasting peace would not be possible as long as insecurity in the east continues, fomented as it is by outside forces. The immediate objective should therefore be to settle the problem raised by the M-23, the group that is responsible for many attacks against the civilian population in North Kivu for more than a year, which would then make it possible to tackle the other groups, in particular the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda and the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces/ National Army for the Liberation of Uganda. The Council encouraged the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue their discussions under way in Kampala because the solution cannot be only a military one. Nonetheless, the Council stressed that a balance must be established between amnesty and the fight against impunity for war crimes, drawing lessons from the past to prevent a recurrence of the same pattern of violence in the future. Congolese authorities at all levels thanked the Council and MONUSCO for their ongoing support. They presented the progress made with respect to their commitment in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework . With respect to the Kampala process, the same authorities said that they wanted to reach an agreement as soon as possible. The most important thing would be to prevent a repetition of past errors in terms of amnesty and reintegration. The Council’s visit also made it possible to assess the status of resolution 2098 (2013) concerning the deployment of the Force Intervention Brigade. The Council was able to see the determination of the new leadership of MONUSCO, in the persons of both the Special Representative and Force Commander, to implement the civilian protection mandate called for by the resolution. The Council also welcomed the actions taken by MONUSCO since its arrival with the Intervention Brigade and the North Kivu brigade alongside the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to bring an end to the M-23 attacks of the past summer against the civilian population of Goma and MONUSCO. The representative of the Secretary- General and the Force Commander showed that they were determined and committed to implementing the mandate for the protection of civilians, which was that of MONUSCO as a whole. The Intervention Brigade is an instrument that will make it possible to move in that direction. In meetings with civil society, the actions of MONUSCO and the Brigade were warmly welcomed. Finally, in all the aforementioned meetings, whether it be with the Congolese authorities or with the supervisors of MONUSCO or humanitarian actors and civil society, the Council recalled the importance of fighting against impunity. That was true in the case of the discussions under way in Kampala, but it is also true when it comes to the broader issue of all of those responsible for serious crimes against humanity, especially when it comes to sexual violence and violence against children, including child recruitment.

I thank Ambassador Loulichki for his briefing. I now give the floor to Sir Mark Lyall Grant. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom): On 7 October, alongside my colleague Ambassador Kodjo Menan of Togo, I led the Security Council’s visit to Uganda, which consisted of a detailed exchange with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, alongside Defence Minister Kiyonga and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa. In our meeting, I explained, on behalf of the Security Council, that we saw a strategic opportunity to bring stability to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the wider region, created by the Addis Agreement, the strengthened mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic People’s Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Kampala talks. I expressed the Council’s appreciation for President Museveni’s work to improve regional relations and conclude dialogue between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23). The Council also wished to hear President Museveni’s concerns on security in the region, including on the armed groups the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces/National Army for the Liberation of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army. The continued threat posed by those groups from the territory of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighbouring States is testament to the regional nature of the crisis. President Museveni and Defence Minister Koyongo updated us on the progress made so far in the talks in Kampala between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M-23. I expect that we will hear a fresh update on those talks in the briefing immediately following this meeting. The President also referred to the importance of aligning national, regional and international efforts to support peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and he expressed appreciation for MONUSCO’s role in helping to tackle armed groups. Council members said that it would be important for the deal in Kampala to avoid repeating the mistakes of 2009 peace agreement, including allowing the worst human rights abusers to remain on the scene. The President assured the Council that sustained regional engagement would help deliver full implementation of any deal. President Museveni told the Council that the focus needed to remain on the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as the region. As we have already heard this morning, we were able to reassure him that while in the Democratic Republic of the Congo we had delivered important messages on internal reforms. Council members appealed to President Museveni to use his influence to ensure the full implementation of commitments in the Framework Agreement by all signatories and continue to promote peace in the region. Overall, the exchange of views with President Museveni served to underline the important role that Uganda plays in furthering peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes Region, in the short term, by security agreement in Kampala, and in the longer term, by maintaining focus on the implementation of the Addis Agreement. In closing, I would like to express my thanks to the Ugandan Government for hosting that leg of our visit and for the open exchange of views we had. I would also like to thank the staff of the United Nations, in particular James Sutterlin and Davey McNab, for ensuring the success of that part of our trip.

I thank Sir Mark Lyall Grant for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Gasana.

First of all, let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s briefing, for your leadership as President of the Security Council, and for co-leading the Addis Ababa leg of the mission to Africa together with Rwanda. As detailed in the terms of reference for the mission, the purpose of the visit to Addis Ababa was mainly to strengthen partnership and enhance cooperation between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations in accordance with resolution 2033 (2012) and to exchange views on situations of interest to the AU Peace and Security Council and the Security Council. In that respect, on Wednesday, 8 October the two Councils held their seventh join annual consultative meeting. The meeting was co-chaired by yourself, Mr. President, and by the Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea to the AU, in his capacity as Acting President of the Peace and Security Council. Six topics were the agenda of that meeting: the Great Lakes region, the Sudan and South Sudan, Somalia, the Central African Republic, the Sahel region and the enhancement of the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations. Each organization had a lead member to introduce each topic or to respond to the introduction made by a designated member of the other organization. Generally, as attested by the outcome of the meeting, the two Councils agreed in principle on the diagnosis of the crisis, on the partnerships required and on the solution to bring sustainable peace in those conflict-affected countries. A joint communiqué was indeed adopted and was issued as a document of the Security Council. The AU Peace and Security Counci and the Security Council assessed, inter alia, the cooperation between the AU and the United Nations with regard to the promotion and maintenance of peace and security in Africa. They welcomed the progress made so far and stressed the need for continued efforts to enhance the existing partnership at both the strategic and operational levels, in order to ensure greater synergy and coherence and more effective responses to the evolving peace and security challenges that the African continent is facing. In that respect, we undertook to conduct necessary consultations to ensure the effective implementation of the steps agreed upon at their meetings and reiterated the need for the agenda of their annual joint consultative meetings to be agreed in advance and to include in such agenda an item on issues that require follow-up, along the lines of the communiqué of fifth annual joint consultative meeting held in New York on 13 June 2010. The two Councils agreed to convene their eighth annual joint consultative meeting in New York in June 2014. The date of the meeting will be determined through consultations between the Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council and the President of the Security Council. Following the joint consultative meeting, the Security Council also met, upon her request, with Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, to exchange views on the relationship between the International Criminal Court and the African continent. The Council ended its mission to Africa with a meeting with His Excellency Mr. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union, in which both parties reviewed together the outcome of the mission to Africa and discussed peace and security on the continent. Let me conclude by thanking you, Sir, for your leadership and for scheduling this productive mission to Africa. I extend my appreciation also to my colleagues, the members of the Security Council, for the high- level representation from their delegations and for their active participation throughout the mission.

On 7 October, Ambassador Power had the privilege of leading the Security Council’s first visit to Rwanda since 2009. Council members began that leg of our trip by visiting a demobilization centre in Mutobo, where we had a chance to hear testimonials from former Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) combatants who had voluntarily returned and, with the help of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Rwandan Government, are trying to reintegrate into society. These individuals told us about the difficulties they faced while living on the run in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and about the hard choices they had to make in deciding to leave the rebel force. In many cases, the FDLR has threatened to retaliate against them and members of their families. We were pleased to hear of the key role that MONUSCO continues to play, in collaboration with Rwandan authorities, to ensure that these former fighters can successfully resume their lives. The Council then travelled to Kigali, where we had a tour of the children’s wing of the Gisozi genocide memorial. Even those of us who had already visited Rwanda’s memorial were overwhelmed by the devastating eloquence of the memorial. Since the memorial opened in 2004, more than 100,000 visitors have viewed the exhibits — an impressive number, but a mere fraction of the 250,000 people whose bodies are buried in mass graves beneath the four acres of memorial gardens and grounds. The facility serves as a permanent repository for photos and testimonies related to the 1994 genocide and a permanent warning for the world community. That warning has special meeting for the Council, which failed dismally in responding to the slaughter of 19 years ago. As Council members are aware, the waves crated by the genocide continue to disrupt and claim lives. Prior to arriving in Kigali, we met with displaced persons outside of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where many thousands of families have been victimized by recurring attacks and atrocities. We were struck by the contrast between conditions in and around Goma and the relatively calm and stable environment in Rwanda. In our meetings with Rwandan officials, several of us made the point that Rwanda has an opportunity to take steps that would help spread the peace and greater prosperity it has achieved to people across the Great Lakes Region. Following our visit to the Gisozi memorial, we met in Kigali with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Finance, and with senior representatives responsible of intelligence and economic planning. In those meetings, we discussed a comprehensive range of issues, including the status of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo assured us of her Government’s readiness to be a full partner in creating a sustainable peace, and said that she was encouraged by the proactive initiatives undertaken by the Secretary-General, the President of the World Bank and the new leadership of MONUSCO. The Foreign Minister also raised Rwanda’s concerned about the ongoing security threat posed by the FDLR and requested greater collaboration between the Security Council and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. We were able to reinforce the message that Special Representative of the Secretary-General Kobler had delivered  — that MONUSCO would not allow the FDLR to wreak havoc in eastern Congo any more than it would the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23). Council members then had a frank 90-minute dialogue with President Paul Kagame. The President echoed his Foreign Minister in calling attention to the dangerous activities of the FDLR. Council members again noted MONUSCO’s clear mandate to neutralize all irregular armed groups and expressed their commitment to seeing that that aspect of the United Nations Mission’s mandate was implemented. Council members cited the threat posed by, in addition to the FDLR, the M-23, and observed that, if the regional Framework is to succeed, all armed groups must be neutralized. Building on this point, we emphasized the imperative for every country, including Rwanda, to neither tolerate nor provide support to any militia or armed force, and appealed to President Kagame to use his country’s influence with the M-23 to promote peace and help bring the Kampala talks to a decisive close. The President pledged that Rwanda would be a genuine partner in the peace process but noted his concern with how events in the region had been characterized, questioning whether the causes of the current conflict are accurately understood. Further, he urged the Council and the international community to help establish adequate judicial and accountability mechanisms in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overall, we found our exchange of views with Rwandan Government officials to be very substantive and constructive, and we are hopeful that the dialogue will help to further efforts to achieve regional peace. In closing, I would like to thank the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Rwanda, Lamin Manneh, and other United Nations staff, including Neneh Bah, James Sutterlin and Davey McNab, for helping to make this leg of our trip successful. I express my appreciation, too, to our Rwandan Government hosts for their hospitality and open exchange of views.

I should like to express appreciation to all of the members of the Security Council and the Secretariat who participated in the mission for the manner in which they discharged their important responsibilities on behalf of the Council. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.